Cobb - Selection Trainee

Cobb-Vantress•Deer Lodge, TN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Poultry Selection Worker (Selection Trainee) trains in selecting pedigree birds at designated ages based on conformation, physical attributes, and other heritable traits. The role also trains in assisting with the supervision and coordination of Selection crew activities. The job is at Dry Creek Farm in Deer Lodge, Tennessee, and reports to the Sr Supv. The schedule is Monday through Thursday and occasionally Friday, including holidays, from 5:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.; the schedule may change based on production needs. The trainee selects approximately 2,700 pedigree birds daily and records bird and selection information using a touchscreen tablet and manual records. Duties also include monitoring bird handling, transfer, welfare, coop identification, selection counts, and percentages by line and sex. The role involves washing and sanitizing approximately 100 coops daily, maintaining clean foot pans, and sanitizing the selection break room and equipment. Other duties may be assigned, including helping move birds, washing and disinfecting vehicles, identifying birds, setting up selection areas and equipment, and humanely euthanizing weak or ill birds in accordance with company policy. The jobsite is biosecure: employees must shower and change clothing and footwear before entering, follow company biosecurity and animal welfare guidelines, and agree to avoid contact with avian species. Company-provided clothing and footwear are required. The work involves prolonged standing, frequent bending, lifting and moving coops, driving within the farm, and working on wet or slippery floors and in hot, dry, dusty, wet, and cold conditions. Required protective equipment includes goggles or safety glasses, face shields, chemical gloves, waterproof aprons, rubber boots, and, as needed, ear plugs and NIOSH-approved N95 respirators.

Requirements

Must be able to read, write, and perform simple math skills.
Must have a valid driver’s license.
Must have no disciplinary actions within the last 6 months, an attendance point level of 6 or fewer, and 90 days in the current area unless promoting, in which case less than 90 days is allowable.
Must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must use safe lifting techniques; regularly lift or move up to 50 pounds with another Team Member and occasionally lift or move up to 300 pounds using tools such as an angle iron dolly.
Must be willing to shower and change clothing and footwear before entering the biosecure facility.
Must be willing to avoid avian species and sign and abide by the Company Biosecurity and Company Animal Welfare Guidelines.
Must have good communication skills to accurately convey opinions and concerns.
Must follow applicable safety policies and procedures, including Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, LOTO, and Personal Protective Equipment requirements.

Responsibilities

Train in selecting approximately 2,700 pedigree birds daily at designated ages based on conformation, physical attributes, and other heritable traits.
Train in recording genealogy, bird weight, mortality, defects, disposition, birds kept, numbers selected, and birds sent to dissection using a touchscreen tablet and manual records.
Train in monitoring bird handling, transfer, welfare, coop identification, and selection numbers and percentages by line and sex.
Wash and sanitize approximately 100 coops daily using a commercial pressure washer; maintain clean foot pans and sanitize the selection break room and equipment weekly.
Assist with moving birds and washing or disinfecting vehicles as assigned.
Help check line identification, identify gender, catch birds, scan wing-band numbers, and audit market birds for wing bands.
Help set up selection by loading coops, placing catch frames and coops, hanging lights, setting up scales and scanners, making coop labels, and running cords.
Euthanize weak or ill birds in accordance with company policy.
Follow applicable safety policies and procedures and identify, address, and mitigate safety risks.
Follow company biosecurity and animal welfare guidelines.